The invention relates to a parlor game played by a number of participants that purchase businesses and strategically expand those businesses during the course of the game.
The board game of this invention incorporates the advantages and enjoyable features associated with most parlor games. It also introduces some new and unique features which enhance the enjoyment to be experienced by those playing the game.
There are numerous parlor games of various types ranging from educational games for developing certain skills to games of chance involving very little or no skill. Some games are based upon the time-honored parlor games of chess, checkers, parchesi, and backgammon which stimulate thinking and develop the ability to plan strategies by the game's participants. These types of games have specific playing surfaces upon which the game is played and they seldom attempt to simulate real-life situations. Another general type of parlor games can be categorized as card games which include contract bridge, pinochle, hearts, poker, and the like. These games may be played with a standard deck of playing cards or may utilize cards specifically adapted for the game. These types of games typically do not require a special playing surface nor do they attempt to simulate real-life situations. However, they do stimulate thought processes which utilize mathematical concepts and strategy development. Still another general type of parlor game includes those games which have an underlying theme which attempts to simulate real-life situations and circumstances, thereby enabling the participants to experience and learn about the situations simulated. This is the general type of parlor game to which the present invention relates.
Theme-oriented parlor games typically utilize a game board, movable figures representing the players of the game, and some goal to be achieved. Because theme-oriented parlor games are very entertaining and provide a learning environment in the context of the game, they have been very popular and commercially successful. An example of a theme-oriented parlor game is the the classic game "Monopoly" (U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,082) which has a real estate theme which incorporates purchasing, trading and bargaining in a simulated real estate market. Participants in the game learn real estate terms and experience real estate occurrences such as paying rent, making improvements, mortgaging property, and bankruptcy. Themes other than the real estate market which have also been incorporated into parlor games include: community development, rights of way for a utility, the securities market, life, education and careers, zoning, the commodities market, gambling, and landlord-tenant relationships.
As mentioned above, the theme oriented parlor games typically center around a game board or playing surface. As the parlor game progresses, the participants interact with the game board and other participants in the game in a manner prescribed for that particular parlor game. Although these theme oriented parlor games have common features, each game has one or more of its own unique features which sets it apart from the other parlor games.
The parlor game of this invention utilizes a business theme which exposes the game participants to various business terms and experiences and offers several new and unique features which enhance the participant's entertainment and experience in ways heretofore not used in the parlor game art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game in which participants may simulate business relationships so as to learn terms utilized in the business community and experience various business related circumstances.
Another object of this invention is to provide a game playing environment in which the participants are entertained.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a game playing environment in which social interaction between the participants is stimulated and encouraged by the progress of the game.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a game board which enables the participants to simulate certain business relationships without undue complexity.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a game playing environment which stimulates the mental faculties of the participants by calling for certain strategies, decision-making, mathematical skills, and social interaction with the other participants.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and appended claims and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.